Beyond Bluenose – The William James Roué Collection

Look into the office of Canada’s best-known naval architect and designer of a national icon.

Beyond Bluenose – The William James Roué Collection invites visitors into the busy life of William James Roué (1879–1970), Canada’s most famous naval architect and designer of the Bluenose fishing and racing schooner, whose international success in match racing throughout the 1920s and 1930s made it an enduring symbol of Nova Scotia and of Canada.

Evoking Roué’s work area, this special display includes examples of his drawing equipment and measuring tools, models and photos of vessels, ship plans, and personal items. It tells the story of his fascinating career, which spanned 50 years and 200 designs, and which eloquently testifies to the role of wooden vessels in Eastern Canada during the 20th century.

Developed by the Canadian Museum of History, the display showcases artifacts from the William James Roué Collection, which the Museum acquired in 2015.

Photo:
Pocket watch
Dartmouth residents gave William Roué this watch in 1921 to commemorate Bluenose’s victory in the International Fishermen’s Trophy race. It features an engraving of Bluenose and an inscription marking the event.
William James Roué Collection, Canadian Museum of History, 2015.98.3.3